To Catch a Husband... (25 page)

‘I do not want us to quarrel,’ he said, lightly kissing the end of her nose. ‘I want only to make you happy for ever more.’ He put his arm about her waist. ‘Shall you
walk up the bank or would you like me to put you up on Marnie?’

‘Walk, I think. The exertion will warm us.’

With Daniel’s arm around her they started up the bank. An old woman in a grey dress hurried down towards them, trailing a large shawl from one hand.

‘Oh, my goodness, whatever has happened to you?’ She demanded as she drew closer. ‘Oh, my poor dears, took a tumble in the beck, did you? You must come in and dry yourselves. Quickly now.’ She wrapped the shawl around Kitty’s shoulders and took her arm to hurry her towards the cottage.

‘Thank you, mother,’ said Daniel, falling into step beside them. ‘We saw the smoke from your chimney and were going to ask if we could warm ourselves by your fire.’

‘Aye, of course. And you’re very lucky that I have kept it in, only I fancied a drop o’ soup before settin’ off for t’village. It won’t take a minute to get it blazing again.’ When they reached the small gate in the wall that bounded her garden the old woman turned to Daniel. ‘You can tie that great brute of a horse to the gate. No one will take him while you and your lady are indoors, and I don’t want ’im eatin’ my herbs!’

Meekly Daniel did as he was bid while the old woman led Kitty into the house. After the bright sunshine the room seemed very dark at first, but Kitty’s eyes soon grew accustomed and she saw that they were standing in a small but very tidy chamber, most of the space being taken up by a large spinning wheel. The room was bare of comforts save for a small cushioned settle and a colourful rag rug before the fire. The old woman immediately set to work stirring up the coals before taking a few small logs from the basket to place on the top.

‘Please, mother, do not use all your fuel for us,’ said Daniel quickly.

The old woman waved aside his protest.

‘Lord love ye, sir, if ye don’t get warm you’ll be catching your death, right enough. Besides, my son Jack brought me over a sack o’ coal only last week, so we’re not short o’ fuel.’ She pointed to a door behind them. ‘Beyond there is my bedroom, sir. If you and your lady will remove thy wet things I’ll hang ’em out to dry. An hour or so in the sun and with this breeze they’ll be good as new. And don’t you be afraid to give me your shirt and britches, young man: I have sons of my own, so you’ve nowt I haven’t seen before!’

Kitty was aware of Daniel’s eyes upon her, but she said nothing. She walked into the bedchamber and began to struggle out of her sodden gown.

‘She thinks we are man and wife,’ muttered Daniel, following her into the room.

‘I know.’

He pulled a ring from his little finger and held it out to her.

‘Here, wear this. I would not embarrass the woman by having her guess the truth.’ He picked up Kitty’s hand and slipped the ring on to her wedding finger. ‘I hope you will allow me to replace it with the real thing soon enough.’

Kitty’s cheeks burned and she turned away, giving her attention to removing her wet clothes. She stripped down to her shift and looked round for the woman’s shawl to put over her shoulders but Daniel had already appropriated it to wrap around his waist, his clothes lying in a wet puddle on the stone floor. She held her breath, unable to tear her eyes from his naked torso. He seemed to fill the little room; his broad shoulders and muscled arms still glistened with damp and she was shocked by her desire to put out her hand and touch the black curling hair on his chest.

‘We, um…’ She swallowed, not meeting his eyes. ‘We should ask our hostess if she has a towel we may use to finish drying ourselves.’

‘Just a moment.’ He picked up a thin coverlet from the bed, folded it diagonally and threw it over her shoulders. ‘There. Do you feel more comfortable now?’

Daniel was smiling at her, and Kitty wondered if he knew that it was not standing before him in her shift that was unsettling her but her desire to feast her eyes upon his body. Quickly she scooped up their clothes and carried them into the other room. The old woman took them from her.

‘You leave these to me, my dear, and sit yerself down in front o’fire until you are dry again.’ She gave a little chuckle when Daniel walked in and she saw the use he had made of her shawl but she said nothing and hurried away to hang out their clothes.

‘You have not yet given me an answer,’ said Daniel, sitting down beside Kitty on the narrow settle beside the fire.

‘An…an answer?’

‘You have not said that you will marry me.’

‘After this I do not think we have a choice, sir,’ she said, trying to speak lightly.

‘No!’ Angrily he gripped her arms, turning her to face him. ‘I do not want you forced by circumstances to become my wife. I want you to choose me—
me,
Kitty, do you understand? For better or worse, richer or poorer. It must be your decision, freely made. If you are not sure then I will remove myself from your presence until we are fit to return to Fallridge—’

‘That will not be necessary,’ she said quickly. ‘I w-want nothing better than to be your wife, Daniel.’ She added
quietly, ‘For no other reason than that I love you, with all my heart.’

She smiled, her spirits soaring when she saw the glow of delight in his eyes.

His hands tightened and he was about to drag her into his arms when the old lady came bustling in again.

‘An hour, two at the most, and your clothes will be dry.’ She hesitated, took a couple of steps towards the fire, then stopped again.

‘Thank you, mother, but do not let us keep you from your work, if you have spinning to do…’

‘Ah, well, you see I hadn’t finished my spinning when Mr Jobbins called first thing this morning.’ She pointed to a large cloth bag beside the door. ‘I said I would take ’em on t’village as soon as they was done. I get paid by the hank, you see—in a good week I can make five shillings or more, but what with Jack comin’ round yesterday, and bringin’ the bairns to see me—well, they’re bonny children, to be sure, but I got behind…’

‘Oh, please, if you have to go out then we will leave,’ said Kitty rising.

The old woman waved her back into her seat.

‘That you won’t. You are quite welcome to stay here while I go out. I was planning to spend the night with our Jack, so you can stay here as long as you wish.’

‘Thank you, mother,’ said Daniel. ‘You may be sure we will lock up behind us.’

The old woman gave a cackle of laughter.

‘Bless you, sir, there’s no need for that.’ She held out her hands and looked around. ‘There’s nothing here worth the trouble o’ stealing. And besides it’s rare that anyone passes this way. No, my dears, you sit there as long as you want, there’ll be no one to bother ye. You’ll find a bit o’ broth in the kettle by the fire: you’re welcome to that and if you
want water the pump is just outside the door,’ She gave another toothless cackle. ‘Although I’d say you’d both had enough water today! Well, I’ll bid you good day then.’

She picked up her bundle.

‘Goodbye, mistress, and thank you!’ called Kitty.

The woman gave them a final wave and went out, closing the door behind her.

Silence settled around them. Daniel looked down at his bare feet, suddenly feeling awkward. What was he doing here, sitting near-naked in a spinster’s cottage? A glance at Kitty showed him that she, too, was uneasy.

‘What a good soul,’ she said with forced brightness. ‘And trusting, to leave us here alone.’

‘She saw the quality of our clothes. She knows we are not vagabonds.’ Eager for a distraction, Daniel moved over to the fire and poked at the logs until they were blazing merrily. He glanced back at Kitty. ‘Your hair is still wet. Will you sit a little closer to the fire?’

‘Yes, please.’ Kitty rose and rubbed her arms as Daniel tried to move the settle, which creaked alarmingly. She laughed. ‘I think we should leave it where it is. I am afraid if we move it from the wall it will fall apart. But I have an idea!’

Daniel watched her pull the cushions from the settle and put them on the rug in front of the fire. Then she knelt down with her back to the fire, shaking her hair loose. His breath caught in his throat as he watched it ripple down her back like a dark waterfall. Daniel quickly turned away, knowing the shawl wrapped around his hips would not conceal his desire from her.

‘Daniel, will you not sit beside me?’

She spoke softly but he heard the wistfulness in her voice. He dropped down on to the rug behind her and put his hand to her hair, allowing the dark tresses to flow
through his fingers like silk. With a sigh she tilted back her head and rested against him, her eyes closed. It was irresistible: Daniel leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on the slim column of her neck. Her hand came up to his cheek. She twisted round to face him, her mouth seeking his. Daniel had intended nothing more than a tender kiss but as soon as their lips met she trembled against him and a ripple of excitement flowed between them as her lips parted and their tongues engaged in a sensuous, silent conversation. He wrapped her in his arms and eased her down on to the rug. She clung to him. The firm swell of her breasts pressed against his chest, only the thin fabric of her shift between them. He raised his head, trying to contain his excitement, then he began to kiss her again, his lips caressing her eyes, her cheeks. He trailed his tongue along her jaw and lightly over her neck. His fingers clenched on the folds of the shift. He wanted to remove it, since it was the last barrier between his body and Kitty’s soft white skin. She struggled beneath him and immediately he pushed himself away from her, determined that he would in no way force his will upon her.

Kitty sat up. The cottage was silent save for the fire crackling behind her and Daniel’s ragged breathing. Keeping her eyes fixed on his face, she crossed her arms in front of her and took hold of the shift, lifting it cleanly away and upwards in one smooth movement. As she raised her arms above her head Daniel reached out for her. She gasped. Her arms and head were temporarily imprisoned in the fine linen, leaving Daniel free to plunder her breasts, cupping them in his hands, burying his face between them before fastening his mouth on one tender bud and causing a shaft of white-hot desire to drive through her. She threw off the offending material and reached for him, driving her fingers through his hair, clasping him to her as she fell back against
the cushions. She had no control over her body. It arched and moved against him, inviting his hands to caress her. She moaned with pleasure as his fingers traced a line from the inside of her knee and along her thigh, gasping as those same fingers moved into her and roused her to even higher realms of delight. His fingers caressed effortlessly, she was slick with desire, opening for him, raising her hips in blatant invitation. In one swift move he rolled over her and she felt his aroused body pressed against her. His hands slid under her hips, lifting her up to receive him. Kitty clung to him, her fingers digging into his back as he entered her. A tiny gasp, a tiny pain, then the joy and exhilaration of their union overwhelmed her. She tried to follow his lead, moving with him, a fierce excitement coursing through every part of her body. She was flying, soaring, her senses on fire as they moved together. She was vaguely aware that Daniel was holding himself in check, moving for her pleasure rather than his own, but she could do nothing about it, for he was lifting her to such a height of pleasure that she was helpless beneath him, crying out as her body exploded. Deep within her, muscles were clenching in spasm and with an almost painful pleasure. She clung to Daniel, whispering his name, knowing they were still joined. He held her safe in his arms as her body relaxed against his, a perfect fit. She was filled with a pleasant torpor with Daniel’s hands gently caressing her body. Then he was kissing her, feather-light touches along her neck, fanning the flames of desire until her body began to pulse again. This time she pushed against him, revelling in her power to make him gasp and moan with delight. She quivered as he took her once more to the peak of excitement and this time he was with her, pushing, tensing and crying out as they soared together before falling back to earth, clinging to one another.

They lay before the fire, wrapped in each other’s arms, while the sun moved across the sky.

‘We must get back,’ murmured Kitty.

‘Soon.’ Daniel nibbled at her ear.

Kitty gave a little gasp and struggled to sit up.

‘We will be missed,’ she said urgently. ‘Your mother will be waiting…’

‘No, we agreed she would take Bella home. I told her it might take me some time to…persuade you.’

Kitty turned to look at him. He was lying naked beside her, reminding her of the statues displayed in many of the grand houses she had visited with her godmother, although there was nothing cold or lifeless about Daniel. She reached out to touch him, her fingers splaying through the crisp black hair of his chest.

‘And…was I difficult to persuade?’

‘Very.’ With a growl Daniel pulled her back into his arms. ‘I am not convinced I have yet succeeded.’

They made love again and this time it was even more delightful as they explored new ways to please each other as their naked bodies tangled together. Later they took great pleasure in dressing each other, with much laughter and fevered kisses until at last they were ready to leave the little cottage. Daniel dropped a handful of coins in a cup on the hearth.

‘I would give her ten times as much if I had it on me,’ he declared, grinning. ‘The old mother has secured a wife for me.’ He caught Kitty up in his arms and kissed her. ‘You must marry me now, you shameless wench!’

She wound her arms about his neck and kissed him back fiercely until with a groan he put his hands on her waist and put her away from him.

‘If you do not behave I will have to take you again,’ he muttered. ‘Come along, we’ll walk to the top of the clough, then Marnie will carry us both home.’

‘I fear we will be very late,’ remarked Kitty. ‘And I was supposed to be collecting elderberries. What shall I tell Mama?’